Ruiz
A classic Spanish patronymic surname meaning “son of Ruy” or “son of Rodrigo.”
The #89 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 1,296 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Ruiz is a Spanish patronymic surname, originally formed from the given name Ruy, a medieval short form of Rodrigo. In meaning, it points to descent from a man named Ruy/Rodrigo, rather than to a place or occupation. The personal name Rodrigo itself goes back to a Germanic name, commonly explained as meaning something like “famous ruler” or “renowned power.”
History
This surname is very old in Spanish naming practice and belongs to the large class of surnames ending in -iz, -ez, or similar forms that arose as patronymics. The excerpts provided show Ruiz alongside other medieval patronymic spellings and as a long-established family name in Iberian noble and regional histories. It is now one of the most common surnames in the Spanish-speaking world and is especially frequent in Spain and Latin America.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
In medieval Spanish records, Ruiz appears in the same surname family as Rodríguez, Fernández, and Muñoz, all built from personal names rather than from places or trades.
From the historical record
“iz , que lógicamente predominaba , siendo pocos los patronímicos que , como Gomis, FeíTandiz, Llopis , Mufliz , Peris, Ruiz^ resistieron á esa trasfbrmacion. Las terminaciones ozi^ ati , azi, Munniozi, Reparati, Belazi , han dejado huella de su existencia en Muñoz, Repairiz.y Belaz. Sincopados los nombres por el…”
— Ensayo histórico etimológico filológico sobre los apellidos castellanos